SmartBear, a front-runner in providing software testing and visibility solutions, has acquired Reflect, an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based no-code testing platform for web applications. Reflect enables developers and testers to write tests faster through text prompts, thus improving automation. This strategic acquisition of Reflect empowers SmartBear's AI strategy to diversify and intelligently power its integrated hubs for API development, testing, and production readiness. Prior to its acquisition by SmartBear, Reflect had received backing from Battery Ventures, Craft Ventures, and Y Combinator.
CEO of SmartBear, Frank Roe, expressed confidence in the acquisition, which brings in immediate advanced technology to escalate their hub strategy with new intelligent capabilities. "As companies increasingly look to the impact of GenAI, SmartBear is taking a unique and intentional approach to delivering real value for our customers with our products that have been loved and trusted for years," Roe says. "With Reflect, we gain immediate cutting-edge technology that will enable us to powerfully enhance our hub strategy today with new intelligent capabilities and continue to modernise our solutions going forward."
Reflect's AI-centric testing solutions introduce possibilities of natural language test creation and visual insight generation. The combination of this technology with SmartBear's recent advancements in AI test automation could be monumental in the software industry. Reflect's technology employs large language models to instantly turn natural language test step definitions into automated scripts, thus boosting overall efficiency. Committed to continuous enhancement of its solutions, SmartBear's vision is to create simplified, scalable testing for modern development teams by leveraging AI.
Todd McNeal, co-founder of Reflect, views this development as a significant milestone in the company's journey. "We are confident that by joining forces with SmartBear, we will accelerate innovation and achieve so much more in our mission to make testing easier, faster, and more effective through intelligence. We look forward to this new chapter and are eager to see how, together with SmartBear, we will shape the future of the software development lifecycle.”
Reflect marks SmartBear's 10th acquisition in just over five years, capping a period of significant growth and innovation for the company. With Reflect's integration, SmartBear foresees greater possibilities through an AI-powered testing platform that intelligently caters to the needs of the modern development team.
The company has been persistent in its efforts to augment its testing platform and improve visibility. It recently integrated VisualTest, its AI-driven automated regression visual testing tool, with the UI test automation tool, TestComplete. Jason English, Director and Principal Analyst at Intellyx, believes AI-assisted test generation and automation have potential far beyond a simple chat interface. English said a natural language interface, designed with declarative, intent-based testing in mind allows development teams to achieve higher test resilience and regression test coverage.